The Apology
by Nordique1
Summary: Takes place a few months after the end of Season 6.


Chief Constable Giles was putting on his uniform when his wife walked into the bedroom.

"Percival! What are you doing with that uniform on? I thought we agreed that today you would go apologize to Dr. Ogden?"

Percival Giles' face closed and his back stiffened at the sound of his wife's voice. He turned around as he finished buttoning his tunic.

"I am already doing this apology against my better judgement Mary. I would recommend you not insist on more."

Mary Giles came closer. A tall woman, she stood only an inch shorter than her husband. Her height had come in handy in twenty-five years of marriage. Percival Giles was a very imposing man, with an equally strong character. His wife had never been one to cower to him, and her height had helped her stand her ground on many occasions.

"Percival. Have some regards for what the poor woman has gone through. If you show up at the asylum dressed like that, it will remind her of the day you arrested her six months ago. What will the other people think when they see you arrive? There is enough gossip going around, don't feed it."

Percival did not know how to give in gracefully: "I wear this uniform everyday Mary. I see no reasons why today should be any different."

Mary Giles came even closer to him; her face just an inch away from his: "It's quite simple Percival. You will not wear it because I say so."

…

Chief Constable Giles walked up the steps of the Toronto Asylum. He took off his hat and looked at it. It felt alien to him, not wearing his usual police uniform cap. "Blasted woman" he muttered under his breath. As he walked in, he spied Dr. Clarke. He hailed him: "Dr. Clarke, a moment of your time please."

The Asylum's director walked over to Giles: "Chief Constable. What can I do for you today?"

"You could direct me to Dr. Ogden please."

Dr. Clarke looked around uncomfortably and shifted from one foot to another.

"Hmm. Chief Constable. Dr. Ogden is no longer employed here."

Giles was taken aback: "Since when?"

Clarke chose his words carefully. "Well Sir. She has not worked here in over six months."

"But six months?" asked Giles. "That means that she never came back after …" Even though he was not wearing his uniform, Giles could not stop himself from being a policeman and started interrogating the doctor: "Why Doctor?"

Dr. Clarke, like most people overwhelmed by Giles, obediently answered.

"Well Chief Constable. With everything that happened, the hospital board felt it was better she not return."

"But." Barked Giles. "She was exonerated. She is innocent."

Dr. Clarke was looking everywhere but at the Chief Constable. Awkward with the situation, he tried to explain.

"Well Sir, her story was… incredible…like something out of a Jules Verne book. And there was also the matter of her dalliance… Hospital donors were uncomfortable. It was decided that it would be better this way."

Percival Giles eyes burned hot as he looked down at the doctor. The shorter man did not know what to do. He tried to conclude their conversation: "If that is all Sir?"

Percival Giles did not say a word. He turned around and stormed out of the hospital. He made his way to Dr. Ogden's house and knocked loudly on the door. A young maid answered. Percival Giles had no patience for pleasantries.

"Dr. Ogden please." He demanded.

The young maid backed up a step at the strength of his voice: "She is not here Sir."

"Well. Where is she then?"

To her credit, despite Giles' verbal assault, she stood her ground.

"I am sorry Sir, but I am under orders from Mr. Murdoch not to reveal the whereabouts of his wife."

"But I am Chief Constable Giles." Barked Percival.

"I am sorry Sir, but where is your badge?" Asked the young maid.

Giles looked at his suit, and again swore at his wife under his breath.

…..

William was reading one of his scientific journals when Chief Constable Giles barged into his office.

"Murdoch. Would you kindly tell me where your wife is? I've already been to the asylum and your house and your maid refused to tell me where she is."

William slowly put the journal down and leaned back in his chair.

"She was following my orders Sir."

Giles took a long breath trying to calm himself. "Why Murdoch? What's the big secret?"

William eyes darkened. He opened up his desk drawer, took out a pile of opened envelopes and put them on his desk with a bang.

"Because of this Sir." Barked William back, putting the emphasis on the "Sir".

Giles took the first letter and quickly read it. His face contorted in disgust. He then took another one and his face darkened even more. On the third one, he muttered: "Well, unfaithful .. at least that one was true."

Percival Giles never knew what hit him. In a matter of a second William had gotten up, grabbed Giles by the shirt, shoved him against the wall and punched him. William was about to lift his wrist for a second one when George and Brackenried ran into the office, stopping him from hitting the Chief Constable again.

Brakenried was the first one to speak: "Bloody hell Murdoch. What have you done now?"

Percival Giles slowly straightened himself up, re-arranged his suit jacket and ordered Thomas and George out of room. He ran his hand over his chin and looked at William.

"Well Murdoch. Perhaps you would care to explain?"

William with clenched fists, breathing heavily was trying very hard to regain control of himself.

"Every day Sir, the maid has to quickly put aside the daily post before my wife can see it. I sort through it, only keeping valid correspondence. This pile Sir, only represents a fortnight's worth of this trash."

William paused to let the information sink in.

"That is just the mail Sir. There are also the whispers, the glances. The asylum refused to take her back. Resuming her private practice was a failure as her old patients shunned a murderess and adulterer. Newspaper men come knock at our door at all times of day, so yes Sir, I am protecting my wife." William paused and looked directly at Giles: "from everybody."

Percival Giles stood silent for a moment as he continued looking through the letters. Finally he looked up.

"I wanted to see her Murdoch. To apologize. To apologize for my part in that terrible event."

William looked at the older man. Giles admitting he was wrong! Had it not had to do with Julia, he would actually relish this. "She runs a clinic for the indigents." William wrote the address down. "Here is the address." William finished with a warning. "She will probably refuse to see you."

Giles took the paper. "I'm well aware of that Murdoch." Just as he was about to open the door and leave, he turned around.

"For the other business Murdoch." Giles rubbed his chin. "We'll pretend it never happened."

Chief Constable Giles walked out.

…

Giles could not stand the stench, the children crying, the poverty. He looked around and found her in the corner looking over a wretch of a child. He started walking over but seemingly out of nowhere a giant, a boy really, but a giant nevertheless: "Sir."

Percival looked up to the boy: "I would like to talk to Dr. Ogden."

Julia tensed at the sound of the voice. Still, she gestured to the boy to let Percival go through.

"That is quite the guardian you have there Doctor."

Julia shrugged: "Well. I'm afraid it's needed." She went straight to business: "What can I do for you Chief Constable?"

"May I have a moment of your time? In private." asked Giles.

Julia was direct. "Why?"

"It's nothing bad Doctor. I assure you." Said Giles.

Julia lifted her hand, gesturing at the large crowd.

"These people have been waiting for hours to see me Chief Constable. I will not make them wait any longer. I normally stop for a short rest at midday. If you want to wait that long, I will talk to you then."

With those last words, Julia turned around and gave her attention back to the child. Percival looked for a place to sit and found none. He made his way to the corner, leaned against the wall and prepared himself for a long morning.

After a few hours, Julia looked up and noticed that Giles was still there waiting for her in the corner. She walked over to him.

"Here, come with me. We can talk here." She led him to a small room. Julia walked over to a wash basin and thoroughly cleaned her hands, letting the policeman talk first.

Humility was not a sentiment that came easily to Percival Giles. Even though he had had all morning to practice his speech, he still did not know where to start.

"I came to apologize Dr. Ogden. To apologize for my role in that unpleasant affair."

Julia lifted her chin in defiance. "For accusing me of the murder of my husband? A murder I did not commit. For being seconds away from hanging? Is that the unpleasant affair you are talking about?" Julia ended that last sentence with a sneer.

"Yes. Doctor. Yes."

"And?" prompted Julia

Not only was Percival not humble, he as also very proud, admitting to being wrong is not something he often did. For the hundredth time that day, he internally cursed his wife for making him do this.

"And nothing else, Doctor. I was wrong. I admit it. I apologize." Giles just stood straight and silent.

Julia finally let go of her anger.

"So that's it then? You nearly had me hanged. My career is in tatters, my reputation is in even worse shape and all I get from you is Sorry!" She ended her sentence with a scream as her voice had progressively gotten louder and louder.

Giles closed his eyes to gather his thoughts before speaking again.

"Doctor. The evidence against you was overwhelming. Anybody else in my position would have come to the same conclusions. "

Julia was relentless: "But Sir, you knew me. We worked cases together. All my years as a coroner? That counted for nothing?"

Giles looked at the younger woman. He just did not know what else to say, but he tried.

"I have dedicated my life to the law, to applying it as fairly as I can . Everybody is equal under the law. What happened to you pains me Doctor. More than you can realize, more than I can say. That I played a large part in nearly getting you hanged…" Percival tried to explain: "I am not a sentimental man Doctor, but your case, your case…it…."

Julia wanted to be angry. Wanted to keep raging at him, but she did not need her psychological training to see that the Chief Constable regretted the role he had played. While her mind saw this, her heart was not so charitable.

"Sir. I understand, but I cannot forgive. Not yet anyway. Perhaps in time…"

Percival Giles stood up straight as he looked at Julia. While she was not offering him what he wanted, she had acknowledged his gesture. For today, it was probably more than he could have hoped for.

"Fair enough Doctor. I understand." With that he left.

…

William was reading the evening paper when he heard Julia come in. He put the paper down and waited for her to come into the drawing-room. She came in, dirty, tired, and collapsed on the settee.

"How was your day?" asked William.

"Long and tiring." She answered. She paused and looked at William in the eyes. "Giles came to see me today."

"I know." Said William in a neutral tone. "He came to the station house looking for you. I told him where you were."

"I'd guessed as much. He came to apologize."

William said nothing, just raised an eyebrow, allowing her to continue.

"I could not hide my bitterness William. I could not forgive him."

William did not miss a beat: "Nor should you, not before you are ready anyway."

Julia inched closer to William. She rested her head on his shoulder as he put his arm around her shoulder. "I love you William Murdoch. Do you know that?"

William smiled. "I do. Now go get yourself clean and pretty. We are going to the ballet tonight remember."

Julia immediately started to protest. "Oh no William. Not tonight. I am tired, and the people will…" she lowered her head, not finishing her sentence.

"It's Sleeping Beauty. You've wanted to see it for such a long time."

"But you don't even like ballet." Julia tried again.

"I shall admire the applied physics element of it. Do you know that torque is integral to a grand jeté en tournant?"

Julia laughingly punched him on the shoulder before leaving to go get dressed.

…..

A few hours later William and Julia were chatting with an artist friend of Julia's during the intermission. Like usual, their presence has elicited whispers and stares and only her more bohemian friends would acknowledge their presence. The painter walked away and William whispered to Julia.

"Look who is here, conversing with the Mayor." Julia turned around and saw Chief Constable Giles and his wife. Giles noticed them, said a few words to his wife before escorting her over.

"Well that is interesting." said William with a smile.

Giles and his wife stopped in front of them: "Detective. Doctor. Let me introduce my wife."

Julia shook the older woman's hand and was immediately struck by her strength. They exchanged a few pleasantries and soon the bell sounded, announcing the end of the intermission. Percival turned to Julia and offered her his arm.

"Doctor. May I escort you back in?"

Julia was taken aback, but not shocked enough to recognize the olive branch. She smiled her thanks as she took his arm. Mary Giles linked her arm through William's and both couple made their way back inside the concert hall to the shocked stares of Toronto society.


End file.
